RC Cheerleaders Win Regionals

RC Cheerleaders Win Regionals Wildcats Perform ‘Flawless Routine’ In Second Round

With an impressive performance in the second round, the Rockbridge County High School competition cheerleading team won the Region 3C championship on Saturday afternoon at Fluvanna County High School in Palmyra.

It was the first-ever regional title for the Wildcats, and they’ll be advancing to the state competition for the first time since 1999, when they placed third in the Region III competition and eighth in the state.

RC senior Emily Humphreys was named Region 3C performer of the year, and the RC coaches were named Region 3C coaches of the year. The RC coaches are head coach Shannon Bryan and assistant coaches Ellie Kabzinski, Sarah Parnell and Lindsey Ramsey.

The Wildcats, who had placed third in the Valley District, advanced to the second and final round of the Region 3C competition by placing fifth of 12 teams. Only five teams from the first round advanced. In the first round, the Wildcats had “a few hiccups,” said Bryan.

The RC coach was much more pleased with how the Wildcats performed in the second and final round.

“We made some changes in the second round of warmups to make sure we executed a clean routine when it counted the most,” said Bryan. She said her cheerleaders “understood the assignment and went out and performed their best in the second round.”

“We hit a flawless routine with zero technical deductions and the best scores in executive we have ever received this season,” added Bryan. “I’ve told my team since day one that execution was what was going to win it, and they did not let me down.”

The top two teams in the region advanced to the Class 3 state competition, which will take place on Saturday at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. In addition to RC, Wilson Memorial advanced by placing second.

Four RC cheerleaders were named to the all-region first team: seniors Humphreys, Addy Clark, Emma Hall and Cameron Terry. Senior Addie Flint was selected to the all-region second team.

Other members of RC’s team are seniors Ella Culp and Myranda Deacon; juniors Lillian Ballard, Gabriella Brown, Riley McDaniel, Emma Mines and Willow Rogers; sophomore Celia Jones and freshmen Sofia Gaydos, Ariana Mitchell and Natasha Shorter.

RC SOPHOMORE Sophia Gaydos holds up a sign during the Wildcats’ routine. (Brandi Wimer photo)